Chief Marketing Officer

Overview

Help Lead the Next Chapter of America’s Diner. For generations, Denny’s has been part of American culture. But iconic brands don’t stay relevant by standing still. At Denny’s, we are building what’s next—and we are searching for a bold, strategic, growth‑minded Chief Marketing Officer to help lead that transformation. This is not a campaign management role. This is a business leadership role for an executive who knows how to turn brand equity into guest traffic, consumer connection, franchise confidence, and measurable growth. Reporting directly to the CEO and serving on the Denny’s Inc. Leadership Team, the CMO will lead enterprise marketing strategy across brand, digital, media, loyalty, consumer insights, menu commercialization, and franchise marketing.

Responsibilities

Enterprise Growth Strategy

Lead the marketing strategy for Denny's with accountability for brand relevance, profitable guest traffic, frequency, marketing effectiveness, and franchisee confidence. Partner with executive leadership to ensure marketing directly supports enterprise growth priorities and restaurant‑level performance.

Brand, Guest, and Commercial Growth

Own media, digital, loyalty, CRM, guest insights, social, creative, partnerships, and guest‑facing communications to drive traffic, engagement, and long‑term brand value. Strengthen Denny’s position as America’s Diner while building greater relevance with today’s guests.

Menu, Value, and Traffic Generation

Partner cross‑functionally with Product Development, Operations, Finance, and franchise leadership to build a commercial calendar that creates compelling reasons for guests to visit and return. Ensure menu innovation, promotional strategy, and value positioning support both guest demand and franchisee economics.

Franchise and Field Alignment

Lead marketing in a fully franchised environment by building trust with owners, strengthening local market activation, and ensuring marketing initiatives are operationally executable across the system. Translate enterprise strategy into clear field‑ready action.

Performance, Analytics, and Digital Capability

Advance CRM, loyalty, digital engagement, first‑party data, and performance analytics. Establish KPIs tied to guest acquisition, retention, traffic, sales, and return on marketing investment.

Team and Agency Leadership

Lead a high‑performing marketing organization. Assess agency partnerships, operating rhythm, and capabilities to ensure Marketing is positioned to deliver measurable business impact.

Qualifications

• Significant senior marketing leadership experience in franchised, multi‑unit restaurant, hospitality, or consumer‑facing brands.
• Proven success driving traffic, guest frequency, brand relevance, and profitable growth.
• Strong expertise across brand, digital, loyalty, CRM, media, analytics, and franchise marketing.
• The executive presence to influence CEOs, boards, franchise owners, operators, and cross‑functional leadership teams.

Location & Travel

Based in Spartanburg, SC. Hybrid schedule (4 days onsite / 1 remote). Relocation assistance provided. Approximately 30% travel.

Compensation

The typical pay range for this role is: Minimum: $100,000.00 – Maximum: $550,000.00. This range represents the pay range for all positions in the job grade within which the position falls. The actual pay will take into account a range of factors, including location and experience.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Denny’s Corporation is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of age, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information, military or veteran’s status, criminal background, or any other characteristic protected by Federal, State, or local law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should contact View phone number on click.appcast.io. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THIS NUMBER TO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR APPLICATION.

e‑Verify

Denny’s Corporation participates in E‑Verify. The company will provide the Social Security Administration, and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee’s Form I‑9 to confirm work authorization. For more information on E‑Verify, contact the DHS at View phone number on click.appcast.io or dhs.gov/e‑verify. Please note that we do not use this information to pre‑screen job applicants.